Process for packaging dry granular material



March 5, 1935. F. M. GREVEN 1,993,442

PROCESS FOR PACKAGING, DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31, 1953 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Hum e94,

March 5, 1935. M, GREVEN PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIALFiled May 31, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Florence M. Graven 3% k Siloanqyi,

March 5, 1935. F. M. GREVEN 1,993,442

PROCESS FOR PACIKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL grwwvbob fiarenca Mfirevezz J; .5. J m MKM March 5, 1935. M, GREVEN PROCESS FOR PACKAGINGDRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 5, 1935.F. M. GREVEN PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed May 31,1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 7mm Flarenz'e M Ereven I'll/l,

Patented Mar. s, 1935 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR PACKAGING DRY GBANULABMA'I'EBI Florence M. Greven, Reserve, La.

Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,779

4 Claims. (01. 226-51) This invention relates to a method and means forpackaging material in granular, flaked or powdered form which is subjectto-deterioration, spoilage, or to changes in physical and chemical 5conditions when in contact with the air, or when subjected to moisture.

Manufacturers of these various products have for years tried to overcomethese difliculties by adopting various types of moisture proof or moisiture resisting containers, such as special papers, cardboards, and/orfabrics impregnated or coated with moisture resisting compounds. Usuallythe manufactured products are packed at the finished product temperatureand mois- 15 ture, in containers as nearly moisture proof as can beobtained, but always in the presence of the air in and surrounding theproduct and in the container.

Since it is a well imown physical fact that air 20 is a carrier ofmoisture, and also that the capacity for carrying moisture increaseswith the temperature of the air, it is obvious that as nearly a completeremoval of the air in the container in contact with the packagedmaterial, would 25 minimize the changes in physical and/or chemicalcondition due to this air contact. It is obvious that the moist air onceremoved from the package must be prevented from reentering the same.Therefore, .it is necessary in the practice 80 of this invention toutilize a container which is moisture proof and airproof.

Preferably, the practice of this method for packaging goods in flexiblecontainers or bags requires that the material of the containers shall 35be composed of at least two thicknesses or layers of moistureproof andairproof material which would also be proof against cracking whenexposed to the usual ordinary extremes of temperature, and from whichcontainers or bags prac- 40 tically all of the air can be withdrawn byvacuum after material has been placed therein.

It is the object of the invention to fill such containers directly .fromthe packaging machine and to withdraw air during the filling of the con-45 tainer; and to seal the containers automaticallyas soon as they havebeen filled with the required quantity. This method of packaging wouldallow the packaging of materials at the temperature of the finishedproduct either hot 50 or' cold. Many products are perfectly finished attemperatures of 100 F. or more, and due to the usual methods of packing,must be cooled in some manner; usually in drums, or scrolls, or by othermeans,,which not only add to the length of the 66 packaging process, butalso add to its cost ot production. In addition to this. the old methodcauses deterioration in the quality of the finished product by itsaccumulation not only of undesired moisture from the air but also from acertain amount of dust and undesirable and possibly injuriouscontamination.

If the hot material is packed in moisture proof and airproof containersdirectly from the machine, without having come in contact with outsideair, the cooling of the material in the sealed l0 airtight package, willincrease the vacuum and further protect the material from deterioratingchanges.

When cold finished materials are packed by this process, the air isremoved from the package and the package sealed instantly in the samemanner.

In all instances, the moisture proof and airproof container is placedover the outlet or spout of the machine from which the material isdrawn, and the air removed from the container and the eontainer sealedbefore the package is removed from the outlet or spout of the machine.The vacuum pipe through which the air is withdrawn from the package isinside of the inlet or spout of machine, and an automatic device holdsthe package firmly from the outside to prevent air from leaking in thepackage while the seal is being made.

My invention, therefore, pertains to a process of packaging material inwhich the air is almost an entirely exhausted by mechanical means from aflexible container made from air tight and moisture proof material, andinvolves a sealing of the container immediately after the fillingthereof so as to retain the filled package under vacuum after thesealing.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the apparatus embodying thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 40 but showing bag sealingelements in diii'erent position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a central vertical section, to an enlarged scale,illustrating valve mechanism forming part of the present invention: 7

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, to

on the A the same scale as Figure 4, but showing the valve mechanism ina different position:

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 7-7 ofFigure 8; 56

Figure 8 is a perspective of one of the valve elements forming part ofthis invention;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bag holding device formingpart of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail of one of the bag sealing elementsembodying this invention;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail of a heating element used to eiiectsealing of bags after being filled by the mechanism embodying thepresent invention;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary central vertlc section through a modifiedform of the invention;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevation with parts shown in section ofthe machine shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a horizontal section taken on the line 14-14 of Figure 12;and

Figure 15 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating one of the valveplates of the mechanism shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14. i

As shown in the drawings, the invention comprises a special attachmentdesignated generally by the reference numeral 1 adapted to be suitablysecured to the discharge hopper 2 for feeding granular material, such asgranulated or powdered sugar, to the attachment 1. The attachment 1comprises an outer casing 3 having an outwardly extending flange 4secured to or formed between its ends. A gasket 5 of rubber. or similarmaterial, is seated in the recess formed by the flange 4, and the lowerpart of the easin! 3.

An inner casing 6 extends downwardly from the upper part of the casing3. and is spaced apart from the casing 3 at its lower end to form avacuum chamber 7 having an outlet 8 connected detachabiy to a conduit 9leading to any suitable means for creating a vacuum within the chamber7. On the outer walls of the inner casingii, a pair of bars 10 and 11are suitably secured to extend across the casing 3 and have their outerends suitably secured to the inner wall of the said casing 3. These bars10 and 11. at their lower ends are curved transversely to receive thearcuate knuckles 12 and 13 of valves 14 and 15 which are mounted torotate on rods 16 and 17, respectively, extending parallel with the bars10 and 11 and suitably secured at their opposite ends to the innersurface of the outer casing 3.

The valve 14 has a rear wall 18 spaced apart therefrom to form a conduitfor the passage of air from the outside of the attachment 1 to thevacuum chamber 7, and thence through the conduit 9 to the vacuumproducing machine. The lower end of the valve 14 is provided with a slot19 and the upper end of the valve 14 is provided with a series of slots20 (see Figures 6 and 8). The other valve 15 is likewise provided with awall 21 spaced rearwardly from the front wall of the valve 15 to form achamber 22. The lower end of the valve 15 is provided with a slot 23;while the upper end thereof is provided with a series of slots 24,similar to the slots 20 at the upper end of the valve 14.

The opposite ends of the valve 14 have a pair of triangular end walls 25and 26 extending perpendicularly therefrom; and the valve 15 (see Figure8) has similar triangular end walls 2'! and 23 extending perpendicularlytherefrom. The valve plates 14 and'15 are adapted to be moved from theopen position shown in Figure 4 to the closed position shown in Figure5, by

means of an operating rod 29, which extends slidably through a packinggland 30 near the upper end of the outside casing 3. The rod 29 is bentnear its lower end to slide in a slot 31 formed in the inner casing 6.The lower end of the rod 29 is pivoted to a pair of links 32 and 33which have thiir free ends pivotally connected to the end walls 36 and27 of the valve plates 14 and 15.

The rod 29 at its lower end is provided with a horizontal extension 34which extends clear across the discharge valves to be pivotallyconnected to the adjacent ends of a second pair of links 35 and 36 whichhave their free ends connected to the end walls 25 and 28 of the valveplates 14 and 15. It will be obvious from inspection of Figures 6 and 7that the valves may be closed and opened at will by moving the rod 29'up or down through the packing gland 30.

The contacting edges of the valve plates 14 and 15 are lined withrubber, or some similar resilient material, and suitable provision ismade throughout the parts contacting with each other and with the endwalls of the casing 6 to ensure an air-tight fit when the valves areclosed. The opposite walls of the outer casing 3 are provided at theirlower ends with triangular blocks 3'! and 38, preferably of rubber, toform an air-tight support for the rear walls 18 and 21 of the valveplates 14 and 15 when the valves are in closed position, as shown inFigure 5.

It will be noted from Figure 6, that the discharge spout itself issubstantially rectangular in cross section. However, as most of the bagswith which this attachment will be used are of the substantially fiattype, the outer casing 3 extends beyond the end walls of the spout andare curved to meet at points 39 and 40 which receive the creases in theopposite sides of the bags and.

position them properly'to receive material being discharged through theattachment 1.

The bag receiving part of the attachment is designed to receive theupper end of the bag snugly with its upper edge fitting closely againstthe gasket 5. In order to allow the bag to be readily positioned. thefront part of the bag receiving member 41 is pivoted so that it may belowered from the full line position shown inFigure 9 to the dotted lineposition. The bag is placed with one of its creases against the rearpoint 39 while the part 41 is lowered into the bag; then the bag withthe part 41 is raised to the full line position shown in Figure 9 whereit is held by means of the bell crank member 42, which is pivoted to thecasing 3 and normally pressed against the bag by means of a spring 43.

It will be understood that when the bag 13 is positioned against thegasket 5, and the valves 14 and 15 are opened to discharge materialthereinto, the suction device connected to the conduit 9 will draw airfrom the bag, causing its side wall to collapse, except where the bag issupported above the knuckles of the valve plates 14 and 15. As thematerial discharges into the bag, the vacuum continues to draw air outof the bag and out of the material being discharged. It will beunderstood, of course, that the vacuum will be just sumcient to draw theair from the bag and the material without drawing the material upthrough the valve plates. As soon as the material of 'a predeterminedweight, or volume. shall have been discharged into the bag, it becomesnecessary to seal the same while the vacuum device is still inoperation. After the proper filling of the bag, the valves 14 and 15 aremoved to closed posi- 1,sas,44a

oi the attachment 1. such mechanism is mus tion, but the aperturesthrough the upp and lower edges of the valves still hold the upper partof the bag under suction and continue to hold it so until the sealingshall have been eflected.

a As previously stated, these bags are flexible and made of moistureproof and airproo! material.

The inside of the bag near the upper end thereofis coated with anadhesive which is normally dry during the filling of the bags but whichis adapted to be softened by heat to cause the opposite sides of the bagto adhere to each other. To eflect this seal, the framework of themachine is provided with rollers adapted to be electrically orotherstandards 44 and 45 have 'slidably mounted therein, the rods 48 and49 carrying rollers 50 and 51 extending into cam grooves 52 and 53formed in cam disks 54 and 55, respectively, which are secured to ashalt 56 rotated from any suitable source 01' power. The rod 48 isreduced at its outer end to form an extension 56 slidably mounted in asleeve 57 in which a. coil spring 58 is arranged to serve as a butterfor the movements of the extension 56.

The sleeve 57 terminates at its outer end in brackets 59 and 60 adaptedto receive the trunnions 61 and 62 of the rollers 63 and 64,respectively, The rod 49 at the other side of the apparatus is providedwith a similar arrangement to support the opposite trunnions of therollers 63 and 64. The trunnions of the rollers 63 and 64 are hollow, asare the rollers themselves. Wires 65 and 66 are conducted through thehollow trunnions to heating coils 67 mounted within the rollers in anywell known manner.

At the other side 01' the packing mechanism a single heated roller 68 ismounted to rotate between the ends oirods 69 and '10 slidably mounted inthe standards 46 and 47; and these rods are similarly provided with coilsprings for the purpose of causing the rollers 68 to exert a yieldingpressure against the sides of the bag 13 whenall three of the rollersare forced toward each other, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Therods 69 and 70 are operated by cam disks 54- and 55' mounted on a shaft56' parallel to the shaft 56. These two cam disks 54' and 55' and theshaft connected thereto, are paired with the corresponding cam disks andshaft for operating the rods 48 and 49 on the other side of thedischarge spout.

The invention is not particularly concerned with any special form of cammechanism or with any special means for operating the same. The meansshown in a diagrammatic and fragmentary manner in the drawings anddescribed herein are intended merely to show some appropriate method forsealing the bags under vacuum. It will be understood that the cam diskson opposite sides of the bag B will be operated from a. suitable sourceof power so that they move toward and from the bag in synchronism; andso that when they are in sealing contact with the bag they will beheated so as to cause the adhesive on the inner surface of the bag tobecome soft enough to make a proper sealing contact throughout the widthof the bag.

It is intended that when the rollers 68, 64 and 63 come into sealingcontact, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, suitable mechanism willbe set in operation to pull the bag through the sealing rollers andremove it from the discharge mouth trateddiagrammaticallyinl 'igures 1,2 audit of the drawings. a

In the drawings this mechanism includes a shaft 71 continuously rotatingand having a spur gear '72 secured to the end thereoi. The trunnion 62has suitably secured thereto a pinion l3 adapted to mesh with the spurgear '12 just as soon as the rollers 63, 64 and 68 move into sealingcontact with the bag. The rotation 01' the gear '12 causes the pinion.73 to impart its rotation to the roller 64; and this rotation drawstheupper end of the bag and seals the same as it passes through theheated and sealing rollers. At the expiration of the sealing operation,the cams,of course, move the rollers back to the inoperative positionshown in Figure l to permit the filling of the next bag.

As previously stated, the invention is not particularly concerned withthe mechanism for sealing the bag, since this involves nothing more thanthe design and skill 01 the mechanic. The

invention is concerned primarily with the peculiar valve mechanism bywhich the vacuum may be maintained not only while the valves are open,but also while they are closed and continuously until the bag iswithdrawn from filling position on the discharge end 01' the attachment.The

invention is further concerned with the method the valve operatingmechanism on the outside walls of the discharge spout to eliminate thelinkages and cross rods within the discharge spout of Figures 4 and 5.In this iorm of the invention, an operating rod 74 is mounted to slidethrough a packing gland 75 formed centrally through one side of thevacuum chamber casing 3. The rod 75 extends downwardly into the chamber3 and is pivotally connected at its lower end to an arm '76 projectinglaterally from the center of a shaft 77 which is rotatably mounted inbrackets 78, 79, 80 and 81 within the vacuum chamber. The opposite endsof the shaft 77 are rigidly connected to operating rods 82 and 83 eachof which is slotted at its outer end to receive pivot pins 84 extendinglaterally from links 85 which at their lower ends are pivotallyconnected to a pair of links 86 and 87 adapted to move the valves 88 and89 to open or closed position. The valves 88 and 89 are otherwise inevery respect similar to the valves 14 and 15 of Figures 4 and 5.

It is thought that the invention and numerous 01 its attendantadvantages will be understood from the foregoing description. and it isobvi ous that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the several parts without departing irom the spirit orscope oi my invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages;the. form herein described being a preferred embodiment for th purposeof illustrating my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In packaging apparatus for fluent substantially dry solid material, adischarge spout, valve mechanism within said spout, means for holding aflexible container in air-tight connection with said spout, meansforoperating said mechanism to control the flow of material therethrough,means for subjecting the material to a vacuum during its flow from saidspout, and means for sealing the container under vacuum.

2. In packaging apparatus for fluent solid material, a discharge spout,valve mechanism hinged to said spout, a casing surrounding and spacedapart from said spout, a stop extending from said casing, means forholding the open end of a flexible container against said stop, meanstor evacuating the space between said casing and spout, and means forsealing the container while the interior themes! and its contents aresubjected to the vacuum in said space.

3. In packaging apparatus for fluent solid material, a discharge spout,valve mechanism hinged to said spout, a casing surrounding and spacedapart from said spout, a stop extending from said casing, means forholding the open end of a flexible container against said stop, meansfor evacuating the space between said casing and spout, means forsealing the container while the interior thereoi' and its contents aresubjected to the vacuum in said space. said sealing means comprisingrollers suspended from opposite sides of said casing, and means tormoving simultaneously the rollers into sealing contact with thecontainer on opposite sides thereof.

4. In packaging apparatus tor fluent solid-material, a discharge spout,valve mechanism hinged to said spout, a casing surrounding and spacedapart from said spout, a stop extending from said casing, means forholding the open end 0! a flexible container against said step, meansfor evacuating the space between said casing and spout, means forsealing the container while the interior thereof and its contents aresubjected to the vacuum in said space, said sealing means comprisingrollers suspended from opposite sides of said casing, and means torreciprocating said rollers simultaneously into and out. of sealingcontact with the opposite sides 0! said container.

FLORENCE M. GREVEN.

